May 16, 2013 — The state plans to decide next week which mental health hospitals it's going to close, and which will be chosen as what the state's calling "Regional Centers of Excellence." That's the word from New York's Acting Commissioner for Mental Health. Kristin Woodlock wrapped up her "listening tour" of hospitals around the state in Ogdensburg on Wednesday.  Go to full article

May 15, 2013 — Wind farms are a touchy subject in the North Country. As the town of Cape Vincent wrestles with a potential project, in neighboring Lewis County another wind farm has been operating for seven years. The Maple Ridge Wind Farm has brought some big changes to its community.  Go to full article

Clayton, NY, May 13, 2013 — The New York wine industry is booming. According to the New York Wind and Grape Foundation, five million people visit New York wineries every year. The industry generates almost $4 billion.

The New York Farm Bureau is pushing for an official designation for a new Adirondack Wine Coast Trail to bring enthusiasts to seven vineyards in Clinton County.

A lot of the credit for New York wines can go to a team of researchers that's doing what you might call "extreme winemaking": Breeding grapes that survive the North Country's frigid winters and still make delicious wine.

They hope names like Frontenac and Marquette will one day be as popular as Cabernet and Merlot.  Go to full article

May 14, 2013 — Locking people up and keeping them behind bars is one of the North Country's biggest industries. There are more than twenty jails and prison facilities scattered across our...  Go to full article

May 17, 2013 — We've reported for months - years even - that the Great Lakes, from Superior to Ontario, are at historically low water levels.

So we were surprised to get the news this week that regulators are lowering the gates at the Iroquois Dam near Ogdensburg because the St. Lawrence River is too high.

It's quite a puzzle.  Go to full article

May 17, 2013 — We've all heard of the Adirondack 46ers. They're the club of hikers and climbers who have summited all 46 of the Adirondack's highest peaks.

People who compete that grueling task are given an official number and official bragging rights. Now the village of Saranac Lake is hoping to launch its own version of that challenge with its new "6er" program.

The goal is to draw visitors to the ring of beautiful but less difficult mountains that surround the village.  Go to full article

May 13, 2013 — The Adirondack Park Agency has drafted seven options for classifying 47,000 acres of state land in the central Adirondacks, including the first phase of former Finch, Pruyn and Co. timberlands acquired by the state.

The options range from mostly wilderness, the most restrictive state land classification where motorized vehicles are prohibited, to wild forest, where more opportunities for public access and recreation are allowed.

The APA board voted Friday to host a series of public hearings on the proposals.  Go to full article

May 17, 2013 — Adirondack Park Agency officials have been meeting with a company looking to develop a large resort around Loon Lake, in Franklin County. Loon Gulf Inc. owns 2,800 acres,...  Go to full article

Paul Smiths, NY, May 16, 2013 — The theory of continental drift--the idea that the continents are islands of rock adrift on the earth's molten core--first gained acceptance in the 1960s. Dr. Curt Stager and Martha Foley talk about the consequences of their extreme slow motion collisions--earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.  Go to full article

May 16, 2013 — You may have noticed flea markets, where different vendors can sell all kinds of new and used things under one roof instead of having their own storefront, becoming more and more popular in the North Country.

There are now three flea markets in the Canton and Potsdam area alone. The newest opened yesterday. The village Mayor, Town Supervisor, and vendors were at the grand opening of North Country Neighbors Too.  Go to full article

May 17, 2013 — This is John Warren from the Adirondack Almanac with your look at outdoor recreation conditions around the Adirondacks for this Victoria Day weekend.  Go to full article

May 13, 2013 — Corn, cucumbers, parsley and parsnips...it all starts with seeds. But not all seeds are easy to nurse through the germination stage. In their weekly gardening conversation,...  Go to full article

May 14, 2013 — The mountains of the northeast attract hikers to their rocky summits. What happens, though, when something goes wrong? Carol Stone White collected over 50 essays in her new...  Go to full article

May 15, 2013 — New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is turning his attention to a previously announced plan to help communities in financial distress.

The governor is offering more details of his plan to set up a restructuring panel to help local governments on the brink of insolvency. He's also putting some money behind the plan...according to the Associated Press, $80 million.

Cuomo says his proposed financial restructuring panel will help local governments in distress merge and consolidate services, possibly lay off more workers and to permanently restructure operations.  Go to full article

May 14, 2013 — Governor Andrew Cuomo has outlined plans to expand organized gaming in the state, arguing the addition of three casinos in upstate New York would bring substantial economic benefits to the region.

"We have gaming. The question really is, should we recognize the reality of our situation, and fully participate in casinos and gaming, and actually regulate it intelligently and tie it into our overall tourism efforts."

But, casino development has other implications including, as researchers have discovered, a significant impact on health.  Go to full article

May 14, 2013 — Leaders on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border are pleased that the U.S. isn't moving forward on a border crossing fee.

The Department of Homeland Security recently asked Congress to authorize a border fee study. The department wanted to charge everyone entering the U.S. by land from Canada and Mexico.  Go to full article

May 16, 2013 — A New York prosecutor says he's found no crime after investigating sexual harassment allegations by female staff members of Assemblyman Vito Lopez, a Brooklyn Democrat....  Go to full article